Tubular fishing rod



@ct l5, l935. P. s. BEAR TUBULAR FISHING ROD Filed Nov. 1Q, 1934Patented Oct. l5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIQE Heddons Sons, ofMichigan Dowagiac, Mich., a corporation Application November 10, 1934,Serial No. 752,477

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in tubular steel fishing rodsof the general character shown in the Heddon patents, No. 1,961,968; No.1,961,969, and No. 1,951,970, all issued June 5,

1934; and the present invention is designed to afford a maximum degreeof strength and durability in rods of this general character.

In the more modern type of comparatively thin walled and highly temperedtubular steel fishing rods it has been found that owing to more or lessfrequent inclusions or flaws in the tube wall, and also because of thetendency toward fatiguing of the steel structure as a result of constantflexation and strain, sudden breakages sometimes occur unexpectedly fromthe first named cause, and ultimate breakages, after a certain period ofusage, from the second named cause.

Therefore, I have attained in this improvement of the art a greatlyincreased insurance against breakage resulting from inclusions in thesteel structure, and premature fatiguing of the structure, by the newand novel method of producing a tubular steel rod composedl of amultiplicity of tubular structures, one contained within the other. Inthis multiple construction, two or more tubular elements may beemployed, depending upon the strength and weight it is essential thatthe particular rod may possess.

It will be manifest that in my new type of construction, should aninclusion occur at a particular point in one of the tubes so employed,it would be very unlikely that an inclusion would occur at the samepoint in the tube wall of an- 4other and independent constituent of thestructure. In other words, the use of a multiplicity of tubes, by whichis secured the desired weight and thickness of tube wall within thecomplete rod, as contrasted to the same weight and thickness attained bythe employment of a single tube, will invariably result in jogging orstaggering of those portions of any particular tube which may possess aninclusion.

In the use of the very thin wall type of tubing essential to procure thedesired minimum of weight in this more modern type of rod, inclusions orflaws are frequently found even in the most carefully and expertly drawntubing, and therefore the employment of this new laminated principlebecomes of increasing value and importance.

As is well known, the constant flexing and straining of any materialsubstance results in a more or less gradual but constant destruction ofthe grain or fibre structure, and the thicker the member as relatedtothe specific degree of the required flexation, the more rapid will bethe ber degeneration and ultimate breakdown. This is due to the wellknown principle that the thinner the material the less difference intensile and 5 compressive strains that are .set up within the structure.Therefore, far greater and more constant movements may be had in thinwalled members without reaching the elastic limit of that material. 10

It will be manifest that in the bending or flexing of any material,elongation of the grain structure occurs on the outside of the curve,due to the inherent elasticity of the material, whereas compression ofthe grain structure results on the inside of the curve. Halfway betweenthe inner and outer'surfaces of the curve there resides a neutral lineof stresses, within which occur minimum stresses, and the thicker thematerial so curved, the greater the strain in geometric progression.Therefore, the value of securing a given weight and thicknessof wall inthe flexing tubular structure by the process of lamination, ascontrasted to providing the same weight and thickness of wall in oneintegral 25 part.

If the structure is composed of one solid wall as contrasted with alaminated wall, which latter is provided for in this invention, it willbe obvious that the distance between the neutral point of elongation andcontraction is much greater, with resultant strain beyond the elasticlimit causing an earlier condition of fatigue.

It will also be obvious that in the use of my laminated structure,should a failure occur in one of the tubes so employed, the other tubesof the structure will support this individual failure, protectingagainst complete breakage ofthe structure as a whole. l

Another objective and value to be found in my 40 invention reposes inthe fact that in the normal processes employed in the tapering oftubular metallic structures, as commonly used in a flshing rod, if therod is made with a single wall, the displacement of metal incident tothe tapering 45 operation results in a thickening of the wall toward thesmaller or tip end of the rod, which is frequently very undesirable. Onthe other hand, by the employment of a laminated wall structure, `asprovided for in this invention to produce the 50 same weight of rod, theincreasing of the accumulated wall thickness at the tip or smaller endof said rod is much less than where a single tube wall is employed.v

InV the drawing illustrating the invention, 5

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a double walledrod in which the inner and outer tubing extends from end to end of therod;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in which the inner tubing terminates short ofthe tip end of the rod; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, in which the wall thickness of thetubing differs throughout the rod. Y'

For purposes of illustration only, I have shown a rod composed of twotubular sections, although it will be understood that the basic conceptis directed to the employment of a plurality of tubular sections orlaminations which if desired may be greater in number than the two shownfor purposes of illustration.

The rod comprises an inner section A and an outer section B, both ofwhich may extend from end to end of the rod as shown in Fig. 1, althoughas shown in Fig. 2, it may be preferred to have the inner section, orsections as `the case may be, terminate short of .the kextreme tip endof the rod.

'I'he rod is provided with the usual handle C and line guides, and inother respects is finished and fitted in conformity with standardpractice, and in the tapering of the rod and the vcomputation ofvariations in wall thickness from end to end thereof, if desired, I mayvemploy the principles set forth in detail in the three Heddon patentspreviously enumerated, although it will be understood that, unlessotherwise indicated, I do not intend to limit myself to any particularratio of taper or wall thickness, since the principles of the presentinvention are in `the main applicable to shing rods irrespective of anyparticular ratio observed in computing the desired wall thickness andtaper.

However, the features'of the present invention are particularly welladapted for use in the fabrication of rods in which it is desired tohave the wall thickness progressively increase from the butt end towardthe tip end of the rod, or in the direction of decreasing diameter asillustrated in Fig. 3.

In the construction of such rods, while it may be desirable to increasethe wall thickness toward the tip end by a definite computed ratio, itis diflcult, where a single tube element is employed, to

secure a proper distribution of the metal during the drawing or taperingoperation, by reason of the fact that with a single tube there developsa tendency to displace an excessive amount of metal toward the tip endof the rod in the operations required in reducing the diameter down tothe relatively minute dimensions demanded in the production of highgrade fishing rods.

Such difficulties are overcome in `large measure by the utilization of aplurality of internested tube sections which as a unit aresubjected tothe tapering operations, since excessive tendency to crowd the metaltoward the tip end and thus increase the wall thickness to anobjectionable degree is overcome by providing a plurality of internestedtubular layers of laminations in place of a single integral tube.

In Fig. 3 it will be noted that the wall thickness in the tip region isgreater than in the butt region, and that as a result of the taperingoperations the diameter of the bore throughout the tip region is reducedto very minute dimensions, or substantially eliminated, in conformitywith the principles set forth in detail in the Heddon Patent No.1,961,968. This gives to the tip region of the rod the functionalcharacteristics of a solid 'at the tip region and external diameter tobe reduced to comparatively minute dimensions, without excessivetendency to displace or crowd the metal toward the tip end of the rodduring l5 the tapering operations and without sacrifice of strength inthe tip region due to the possible presence of flaws in the metal,which, howsoever minute, might prove fatal in effect in a single tuberod if located in the tip region by reason of 20 the minuteness of thedimensions in the rod `at the point where such a defect occurs.

By employing multiple tubular walls in conformity with the principles ofthe present invention the weakening effect due to the presence of 25 theflaws is materially reduced or completely eliminated by reason of thefact that it is Wholly improbable that latent defects will occur at oneand the `same point in the inner and outer tube sections, which thusmutually reinforce one an- 30 other against breakage due to the presenceof defects in the metal. At the same time, the effects of fatigue in themetal due to continued usage are overcome to a much greater extent thanis possible in the construction of single tube 35 rods.

In the fabrication of the rod of the present invention, two or more tubesections are intertted or nested together one within the other, and arethen .as a unit subjected to a drawing process 4o such for instance astha-t set forth and described in detail in the Barnhart patent, No.1,711,825, issued May 7, 1929. The effect of such a process is to taperthe rod by progressively reducing the diameter and drawing out the metaltoward the 45 tip end, which results in a thickening of the metal wallsas compared with the initial thickness of the walls in the same region.It may be desirable in some cases in the rst instance to employintertted cylindrical tube sections, each 50 section having a uniformwall thickness throughout, and to subject the multiple tubing to atapering operation of the character referred to, in which event, due tothe displacement and crowding of the metal, there will be a tendency to55 thicken the metal Walls toward the tip end of lesser diameter.

In other cases it may be desirable to initially employ tube sectionshaving a progressively decreasing wall thickness toward the end of the60 tube intended to form the tip, so that during the tapering operationthe initially thin walled end of the tube will be progressivelythickened as its diameter is decreased with resultant equality in wallthickness throughout, or, if desired, with less 65 ultimate wallthickness at the tip end than at the butt end, as set forth anddescribed in the co-pending application of John Heddon, Serial No.704,375, led December 29, 1933. Such refinements in detail, however, areall regarded as 70 within the purview of the present invention, whichfrom the aspect of method resides in the intertting of tubular sectionsand subjecting them concurrently and as a unit to the tapering operationhowsoever performed.

'I'he rod of the present invention is one in which the duplication ormultiplying of the tubular constituents extends throughout the medialregion and preferably throughout the greater portion of the rod, or fromend to end thereof, so that the intertted tube sections will all partakeof flexation during the bend of the rod when subjected to strain, sothat the several tubular sections are to be regarded as constituents inthe structure of the rod as a whole and not as mere local reinforcementsfor particular regions in the rod. The tubular constituents thus partakein unison of all of the strains yand stresses to which the rod issubjected when in use, and mutually reinforce one another and co-operatetogether in imparting to the rod as a whole the required distribution ofWeight, exibility and balance required in the fabrication of rodsdesigned to meet the critical inspection of discriminating users.

I claim:

1. A tubular metallic tapered fishing rod formed throughoutsubstantially its entire eiective length from a plurality of taperedtubular laminations each integrally formed throughout its entire lengthand intertted one Within the other and mutually reinforcing one anotherand all partaking of flexations when the rod is bent under strain.

2. A tubular metallic fishing rod tapered throughout a substantialportion of its length and formed throughout from a plurality of taperedtubular laminations intertted one Within the other and all partaking ofthe taper characteristic of any particular laminated section of the rodand mutually reinforcing one another and all partaking of flexationswhen the rod is bent under strain.

3. A tubular metallic fishing rod tapered throughout a substantialportion of its length and of Variable thickness and formed throughoutfrom a plurality of tubular laminations intertted one within the otherand all partaking of the taper and wall thickness variationcharacteristic of any particular laminated section of the rod andmutually reinforcing one another and all partaking of flexations whenthe rod is bent under strain.

4. A tubular metallic fishing rod tapered throughout a substantialportion of its length and of variable Wall throughout its medial regionfrom a plurality of tubular laminations intertted one Within the otherand all partaking of the taper and Wall thickness variationcharacteristic of any particular laminated section of the rod andmutually re- 10 inforcing one another and all partaking of flexationswhen the rod is bent under strain.

5. A tubular metallic fishing rod tapered throughout a substantialportion of its length and formed throughout its medial region from a 15plurality of tubular laminations interiitted one Within the other andall partaking of the taper characteristic of any particular laminatedsection of the rod and mutually reinforcing one another and allpartaking of flexations when the rod 20 is bent under strain.

6. A flexible tubular metallic fishing rod of decreasing diameter fromthe butt to the tip and formed throughout a substantial portion of itslength from a plurality of laminations of drawn 25 tubing intertted onewithin the other and all partaking in unison of the reduction indiameter characteristic of the contiguous region of the rod as a Wholeand mutually reinforcing one another and all partaking of exations Whenthe 30 rod is bent under strain.

7. A tubular metallic tapered fishing rod varying in taper and in Wallthickness in various portions of the rod and formed throughout asubstantial portion of its length from a plurality of taperedlaminations of drawn seamless tubing interfltted one Within the otherand all partaking of the taper and Wall thickness characteristic of thecontiguous region of the rod as a Whole and mutually reinforcing oneanother and all partaking of exations when the rod is bent under strain.

PAUL S. BEAR.

thickness and formed 5

